


The Best Laid Plans

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Drama, Gen, Humor, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-05-05
Updated: 1999-05-05
Packaged: 2018-11-10 23:29:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11136798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: This story is a sequel toChances Are..





	The Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).

The Best Laid Plans

Part 6 in a continuation that's been lots of fun to write. I hope you enjoy. As usual, all dueSouth characters belong to their creator. 

# THE BEST LAID PLANS

By Patti Cherry  
A Due south Fiction  
Part 6

The sky overlooking the city of Chicago was cloudless on this Tuesday evening. A million stars dotted the heavens. The temperature had remained steady throughout the day, dropping only slightly at sundown. The mildness of the day had coaxed a multitude of people out of their homes, teasing them with a glimpse of Spring. The traffic on the streets and sidewalks was heavy. After being cooped up over the weekend, the people of the city were taking advantage of the break in the weather, knowing full well it wouldn't last. 

Constable Benton Fraser and his date, Joelle Spenser, casually strolled along the street on their way to dinner. The Chinese restaurant they had decided on was located only a few blocks away. Jo had tucked her left hand in the crook of his arm. He could feel the heat of her touch through the material of his jacket. As they walked, she told him about the new story she was working on. It would be the sixth installment in the series of children's books she had created. Each one had dealt with an emotion. Anger was to be the issue of the current tale. 

As they approached Eastman's Pharmacy, a sudden thought occurred to Ben. He stopped abruptly in front of the store. "Would you mind? There's something I need to purchase. I'll just be a moment." He entered the establishment and headed directly towards the back counter. Jo was dumbfounded. As comprehension of his actions set in, she began to seethe with anger. By the time Ben emerged from the pharmacy, she was livid. 

"Shall we?" The smile on his face was quickly replaced by a concerned frown. He noticed that Jo's face was flushed and her eyes seemed bright, as if she had a fever. "Are you all right?" 

"No. I seem to have developed a headache." Her mouth barely moved as she spoke. 

"Would you like me to get you some aspirin?" 

"Aspirin won't help." 

"Ibuprophen?" 

"No. I'm going home." As they headed back the way they had come, he refrained from speaking in deference to her headache. Outside the door to her apartment, she seemed to have difficulty disengaging the lock. When he offered his assistance, she glared at him. After much fumbling with the key, she finally managed to unlock the door and open it. She then turned to face him. 

"You know, I've dated a lot of jerks in my time, but you...you get first prize. At least they waited until after dinner." Jo spoke softly; trembling with emotion. "I believed in you. I trusted you. I thought you were different; special. You made me feel...How could you? How could you use me like this? You used me, you took advantage of me. And I fell for the whole thing." She laughed bitterly and shook her head. "I promised myself I would never let this happen again. Thank God it didn't get very far." She raised her chin slightly as she looked him square in the eyes. "I don't ever want to see your lying face again." The door slammed shut and Fraser was left standing alone in the hall. He was at a loss as to what had just transpired. As he debated on whether or not to knock, the door suddenly opened. Jo reached out, grabbed him by the shirt, yanked him inside and then slammed the door. 

"You dirty, rotten, son-of-a-bitch. Does Ray know about this?" As she advanced on him, Fraser backed up, until his retreat was halted by the kitchen counter. He had been in many dangerous situations before, but at this moment, nothing compared to the apprehension he felt in the face of her fury. 

"No. I mean, I don't believe so. Actually, I don't even know what 'this' is, therefore, I doubt very much that Ray would be aware of 'this', whatever it may be. If I've done or said something to offend you, or didn't do or say something that perhaps I should have, then I apologize profusely." 

"Don't give me that innocent Mountie act. It won't work. You're really incredible! Using your best friend, too. And what about Diefenbaker? I can't believe you've used that poor, defenseless wolf." Fraser raised his eyebrows at her description of Dief. "I should turn you in to the ASPCA." Jo paced the floor as she continued to denounce him. Ben thought it prudent to remain silent during her tirade. He didn't want to risk inflaming her ire any further. 

"You should be ashamed. Do you deliberately starve him? Is that part of the plan?" 

"No. He eats well." 

"You're not a real Mountie, are you? You're not even Canadian." She stopped her pacing and came to a halt two feet in front of him. Her feet were spread a foot apart and her arms were crossed over her chest. Fraser felt a certain amount of intimidation by her stance. 

"I can assure you, I am Canadian, and I am a Mountie. I have identification." He quickly pulled out his wallet and held up his credentials for her inspection. "There, you see? Constable Benton Fraser, RCMP." 

"You really expect me to believe that? It probably came with the suit rental." 

"My uniform is legitimate police issue. And if you'll notice, the embossed seal on the identification..." 

"How many notches have you carved on the hat?" Ben was shocked at the thought of such a disfigurement. "I would never damage my Stetson in such a deliberate manner." He couldn't imagine what would make her think he would carve notches into his hat. 

"You should be deported. You're a disgrace to the uniform and to your country. Get out!" 

Ben folded his wallet and was about to put it back in his pocket when he noticed the slip of paper on the floor. It was touching Jo's right shoe. He was about to pick it up, then had second thoughts. It didn't seem a wise move to make without first asking permission. Beisdes, he would be practically defenseless in that position. 

"Would you mind if I retrieve Ray's lottery ticket first? Today is supposed to be lucky for him and I thought I would purchase a ticket in case he forgot." Jo dropped her gaze to the floor where the ticket rested against her foot. When she raised her head, her face held a look of bewilderment. 

"Lottery ticket?" 

"Yes. When we passed by Eastman's Pharmacy I thought I should perhaps buy a ticket. Ray was preoccupied with his preparations for this evening and I feared that he may have forgotten that it was Tuesday. He buys one ticket every Tuesday." 

"That's why you went in the drug store? To buy a lottery ticket?" Jo suddenly felt sick. All the terrible things she had accused him of came screaming back at her. 

"Yes." 

"Oh my God, Fraser, I'm so sorry. I thought you bought something else." She raised her hand and covered her mouth. The horror of what she had said to this man tore at her. 

"What did you think I had bought?" Ben couldn't imagine what he could have purchased that would cause a reaction of this magnitude. 

"I thought you had bought condoms. For after dinner." 

"Oh." He was overcome by embarrassment and a feeling of guilt. He was upset by the notion that perhaps he had inadvertently given her that impression. "I hope I haven't given you the impression that I ...I mean..." 

"No. You haven't done anything wrong. This is all my fault." Jo laid her hand on his arm. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. "I should have known better." She dropped her hand and moved away from him. She had a tendency to pace when she spoke. He had noticed this habit immediately upon their first meeting. He watched quietly as she wandered around the living room. 

"Something happened right before I left New York." 

"What happened?" She stood staring at him for several seconds, debating whether or not to continue. 

"I'm sorry. It's none of my business." 

"No, it's okay. I owe you an explanation." 

"You don't owe me anything." 

"I want you to know. Come here and sit." She grabbed onto his hand and led the way to the sofa. After kicking off her shoes, Jo took a seat, curling her legs under her. She rested her left arm on the back of the furniture. 

"I met this guy, Mark. He was a friend of a friend. Anyway, we kept running into each other at social functions. He's also a writer. He was very nice and lots of fun to be with. We had a lot in common; mutual friends, acquaintances, people in the business. Everyone seemed to respect him." Jo suddenly unfolded herself and stood. She drifted across the room and stopped in front of the entertainment center, her back towards him. She toyed with some knickknacks on the shelf before wandering over to the window. 

"One day, he called and asked me to have dinner with him. I said yes. He took me to a quaint little French restaurant. We had such a great time. I really liked him." Jo lowered her head and was quiet for a moment, lost in remembrance of the occasion. "After dinner, he asked if I would take a look at something he was working on. He said it was totally different than anything he had tried before and wanted my opinion. I was flattered, so, of course I agreed. When we got to his place, he told me to make myself comfortable and he left the room. When he came back...he was wearing nothing but a smile." Jo raised her head and looked at him. "I was shocked, Fraser. The guy was totally naked and his intentions were quite obvious." 

"What did you do?" 

"I didn't have time to do anything. He started chasing me around the room. It would have been funny, under other circumstances, but he was serious. He caught me in front of the patio door. He pinned me against the glass and tried to kiss me. I managed to unlock the door and slide it open. We fell through the screen onto the deck. I pushed him off, made it back inside, and locked the door. Then I went home." 

"You say this happened right before you left New York?" 

"Yes." Jo smiled at Ben as she made her way across the room and took a seat next to him. "And it was bitterly cold, too." She laughed suddenly. "Don't worry, I didn't let him freeze to death. Although I should have. The jerk. I called one of our mutual friends and told him what happened. I left New York shortly after that. I never saw him again." 

"Did you file a complaint?" 

"No. I didn't want to be bothered. Besides, nothing happened." 

"The man sexually assaulted you." 

"Nothing happened." 

"Something DID happen. He attempted to force himself on you against your will. What do you think he would have done had you not been able to escape?" Ben was bothered by her lack of concern over the incident. 

"I like to think I would have been able to get away in any case. I can take care of myself, Fraser. I've been doing it all my life. Believe it or not, I'm a pretty good fighter." Benton remembered the intimidation he had felt when she had confronted him only a short time ago. "I believe you. Still, it was sexual assault." 

"I know what it was. Look, I just wanted you to know why I got so upset earlier. All I could think about was what Mark had tried to do. When I thought you had picked up condoms, assuming I would automatically fall into bed with you...well, I got angry." 

"And justly so. I would never assume such a thing. And even if I did, I would never have left you standing out front the drug store while I purchased...protection." 

"You would have invited me to come inside with you?" Jo teased him with a smile. 

"No! No, I would have taken care of the preparations beforehand. If there had been the slightest chance...that is...if we had decided to...I would have been prepared." Ben could feel the heat in his face as he attempted to explain. Jo's laughter eased his discomfort and he smiled shyly. At least she didn't get angry at him again. 

"Are you hungry? I was thinking maybe we could order a pizza." Jo hoped he would stay. She felt horrible about the way she had treated him and wanted a chance to redeem herself. 

"Pizza is fine." 

"I'm sorry I ruined our first date, Benton." 

"You didn't ruin it." He was estatic to hear her use the words 'first date'. 

"Yes, I did. And I promise I'll make it up to you." 

"There's no need." 

Jo leaned towards him. Her face was just inches from his. "Since you don't know how I intend to make it up to you, you really shouldn't be turning me down." She stood up and went to the phone in the kitchen, leaving him to contemplate the meaning of her words. A few moments later she returned. "Pizza will be here in twenty minutes. How about some music? Any requests?" He shook his head "no" and watched as she selected several CD's. In seconds, soft piano music filled the room. 

Thirty minutes later they were seated on the floor enjoying the pizza out of the box. Diefenbaker lay close to Jo munching on a piece of crust. She had insisted he bring the wolf over. As they ate, she told him about her life in New York. What she didn't mention was the reason she had left Chicago in the first place. He had an inclination that some major altercation had occurred between Jo and her mother, ascertained through several remarks she had made. He had noticed that she never spoke of her mother directly, referring to her only in passing. Fraser presumed the mother/daughter relationship was not a good one. 

"Did you always want to be a Mountie?" 

"Yes. I suppose I did." 

"Was it because of your father?" 

"Yes. I didn't see much of him while I was growing up. Of course I understood the difficulty he faced and I did have my grandmother. I can remember watching and waiting for him to return." Ben stared blindly across the room, lost in remembrance of his youth. 

"You and your father were close then?" 

"Well, no, not really. But we are now." 

"I thought your father passed away?" Jo looked at him in confusion. 

"Yes. He did. I came to know the man my father was through his journals." Ben smiled mainly to himself and the memory of his father. "What about you? You haven't talked much about your family." 

"That's because I don't have much of a family." She held out another piece of crust to Dief, then deftly wiped her hands on a napkin. 

"What about your parents?" 

Jo leaned back against the sofa, drew her knees to her chest and hugged them. 

"My father died before I was born and my mother, well, let's just say staying home and taking care of a kid wasn't on her agenda. She delegated the mommy job to other people." 

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to upset you." 

"I'm not upset, Fraser. The reason I don't talk about her is because I have nothing to say. She left me in the care of a nanny and then she sent me to boarding schools until I rebelled and demanded a normal life. That's when I started hanging out at the Vecchio house. I guess I sort of adopted them, whether they liked it or not." He detected a sadness in her eyes that belied her light approach to the subject. "The Vecchio home was so vibrant and full of love. Sure, they argued all the time, but you could feel the closeness. I think one of the reasons I fell in love with Ray was because he represented all the male figures I didn't have. Father, brother, uncle. I was only twelve, but Ray was everything I had ever dreamed of in a man." Jo looked him directly in the eye. "And I'm not talking about sex." 

"I understand." And he did. He could see how a young girl without benefit of a father figure in her life would be attracted to Ray, as gruff as he could be sometimes. Fraser had come up against Ray's protective nature for the women in his life on more than one occasion. To a young girl, this trait would have brought comfort and security. 

"He hurt me when he rejected my proposal. I was embarrassed, humiliated, hurt, scared, and so angry. Mostly at myself. I knew how stupid I had been. It's just that...I wanted what they had, knew I couldn't have it, and it hurt. I hardly talked to him again after that night. Did he tell you?" 

"No." The two of them were silent for several seconds. "Where is your mother now?" 

"Beijing. Or Zimbabwe. I haven't a clue. I've left a message with her secretary to call me when she gets back. We have some unfinished business." A deep frown furrowed her brow. Whatever the business was it appeared to be serious. 

"Oh, I love this song. Will you dance with me, Benton?" He rose and extended his hand to her. Ben pulled her to him and placed his hand on the small of her back. She wrapped her left arm around his shoulder and drew their clasped hands down between their bodies, resting the back of hers against his chest. She snuggled her head into the crook of his neck. Benton's heart began to race as they swayed to the music. He fought to keep himself under control so as not to offend her. He had witnessed her temper once today and didn't want to chance another confrontation. 

Jo closed her eyes and drifted with the music. She could feel his heart beating against her hand, keeping time with her own. In the comfort of his arms, she found something she had yearned for, yet never hoped to find. She felt as though she had come home after a long journey to the peace and serenity of a special place. A sudden rush of desire for this man enveloped her. Jo fought the urge to lift her face to his, inviting his kiss. No matter how much she wanted him though, logic prevailed. She had come back to Chicago with a purpose and couldn't afford an involvement just yet. She needed to concentrate all her efforts on the situation concerning her mother. 

As the song ended, Jo reluctantly broke the contact between them. She didn't trust herself to look into his eyes. She was afraid of what she would find and more afraid of what she wouldn't. The sudden ringing of the phone solved her dilemma. 

"Hello? Yes, Phoebe. When? What's her schedule for tomorrow? Yes, please inform her I'll be by at ten o'clock. Make sure she sticks around. I know. Thank you, Phoebe." Jo hung up the phone slowly, deep in thought. Fraser noticed how pale she had become during the course of the conversation. 

"My mother's back in town. I have an appointment to see her at ten o'clock tomorrow morning." Jo laughed with derision. "How many people do you know has to make an appointment to see their mother? I should be grateful she was able to fit me in." She began pacing between the living room and kitchen. Her distress was evident. Fraser was at a loss as what to do. He wanted to give her comfort and support but was wary about intruding into an area that was evidently personal. "Are you all right?" The concern in his blue eyes was obvious. She stopped abruptly and turned. 

"Yes. I'll be fine. I'm always fine. I am tired though. Would you mind if we called it a night?" She brushed a few strands of hair off her face. 

"Not at all. If you should need me..." 

"I know where you live. I'm okay. Really." 

"Well then. I'll say good-night." He smiled tentatively, then turned to leave. 

"Fraser? Aren't you forgetting something?" 

He quickly scanned her apartment. "Oh. Sorry. Diefenbaker? It's time to leave." The wolf got up grumbling and slowly made his way to the door. "I'm sorry to bother you, but it's late, and Jo would like to retire." She laughed as Dief ambled out into the hall, protesting all the way. 

"Well, good-night, again." 

"Fraser? I wasn't referring to Diefenbaker." Ben looked at her with some confusion. "This was supposed to be a date, wasn't it?" 

He answered slowly. "Yes. It was." 

"I'm not all that up to date on Canadian customs, but here in the States there's a certain...tradition which usually takes place at the end of a date." 

"Oh? And what might that tradition consist of?" He frowned slightly as he endeavored to recall American traditions that he had encountered. 

"A kiss." Jo smiled impishly at him. His sudden discomfort made her laugh. "Unless, of course, you would prefer to shake hands?" 

"No, I wouldn't. Prefer to shake hands, that is." Ben took a deep breath mentally, then reached out and placed his hands on her waist. She settled her hands on his shoulders and looked up at him expectantly. As he lowered his head towards her, Jo closed her eyes. He softly pressed his mouth against hers and inhaled her breath. Her mouth moved with his, gently testing. It was a tentative kiss. Each of them hesitant to explore further, satisfied in their discovery. Both knew instinctively that this was not the time to fulfill the desire they felt. It was a first step and neither wished to rush headlong into something they were not prepared to handle. The risk was too great. Jo pulled away slowly and looked into his eyes. "Good night, Benton." 

"Good night." 

As the door swung shut, Ben let out an audible sigh of contentment. Although this evening didn't go according to plans, he was pleased with the outcome. He turned and entered his apartment. Diefenbaker jumped onto the bed and watched as the man undressed and prepared his sleeping bag. Fraser lay on his back reliving this evening's events in his mind, a satisfied smile on his face. Dief was happy for his man. It seemed that things were going well. And Fraser had done it all on his own. Maybe he wouldn't need Dief's help after all. With that thought, both man and wolf drifted into sleep and met again in another world. 

The saga continues.....The Winds of Fortune  
Comments, suggestions are most welcome.  
Send e-mail to

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